Text 19

Read the text:

NATIONAL SYMBOLS

Countries often have national symbols or emblems. Britain is usually shown as a lion or a bulldog. The USA has an eagle as its symbol. Australia uses a kangaroo.

Countries have their own national colours, too. These are usually the colours of the national flag. The patriotic colours in Britain and the USA are red, white, and blue. Companies and political parties often use these colours to create a feeling of national pride.

The different parts of Britain have their own emblems, too. They are all plants. You can see them on pound coins. England has the rose. Scotland has the thistle. Wales has the leek.

In the fifteenth century there was a long series of wars in England, which was called the Wars of the Roses. It was fight between the Dukes of Lancaster and the Dukes of York over who should be king. The emblem of Lancaster was the red rose and the emblem of York was the white rose. Eventually the Duke of Lancaster won, so the rose in the English emblem is the red rose.

Each country has its own colour, too. These are used, for example, for football or rugby teams. The colours of the different parts of Britain are: white (England), blue (Scotland) and red (Wales). These colours come from the national flags. The English flag is white with a red cross. The Scottish flag has a white cross on a blue background. The Welsh flag shows a red dragon.

Do the exercises below.

Exercise 1. Answer the questions below.

1. What symbols do Britain, the USA and Australia have?

2. What patriotic colours of Britain and the USA do you know?

3. What plants are emblems of England, Scotland, and Wales?

4. Why did the red rose become the English emblem?

5. What colours of the different parts of Britain do you know?

6. What does the English flag show?

7. What does the Scottish flag show?

8. What does the Welsh flag show?

Exercise 2. Complete the sentences from the text.

1. Countries often have ... . 2. Britain is usually shown as ... . 3. The USA has ... as its symbol. 4. Australia uses ... . 5. The patriotic colours in Britain and the USA are ... . 6. The different parts of Britain have their own emblems, too. They are all ... . 7. England has ... . Scotland has ... . Wales has ... . 8. In the fifteentn century there was a long series of ... , which was called ... . 9. It was fight between ... . 10. The emblem of Lancaster was ... and the emblem of York was ... . 11. The colours of the different parts of Britain are: ... . 12. The English flag is ... . The Scottish flag has ... . The Welsh flag shows ... .

Exercise 3. Find English equivalents of the following words from

the text and memorize them:

орел; національна гордість; відстань; монета; чертополох; в решті-решт; хрест; фон.